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Orofacial Biomechanics and Speech Motor Control

Communication Neuroscience Laboratories, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

Steven M. Barlow

Communication Neuroscience Laboratories, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, and Programs in Neuroscience, Human Biology, and Bioengineering, University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

The mechanical properties (e.g., mass, stiffness, viscoelasticity) of bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, ligament, fat, and skin among articulatory subsystems involved in speech and gesture collectively influence all aspects of movement and must be accounted for in the selection and sequencing of motor program elements. Damage or disease processes affecting peripheral or central nervous system function, or both, can affect muscle coordination and alter muscle stiffness. Therefore, the biomechanics of orofacial and vocal tract structures should be taken into account when considering the movement patterns and network signaling in the neuromotor control system in health and disease. The purpose of this report is to summarize our evolving approach to and application of orofacial biomechanics in the context of movement disorders associated with dysarthria and craniofacial anomalies. We describe a new application for mapping stiffness in the lips for clinical application in pediatric and adult populations.